Let Qiu Qingquan Penetrate Deeply Eastward and Then Plan to Annihilate Him[1]

(November 13, 1948)

Liu, Chen, Deng, and Su, Chen, Zhang:

(1) Qiu Qingquan[2] is now reinforcing eastward. Please have Su, Chen, and Zhang assess the situation regarding the annihilation of the various armies under Huang Baitao.[3] When Huang’s forces are on the verge of being completely wiped out, allow Qiu Qingquan to penetrate deeply eastward toward Daxujia and Caobaji,[4] so as to encircle Qiu’s army group and make it impossible for him to escape, and then plan to annihilate him step by step. (2) The plan for Liu, Chen, and Deng to use one part of their forces to attack Suxian and the main force to advance northward to pursue and annihilate Sun Yuanliang[5] is very good. If Qiu’s army group can be encircled and attacked by us in a few days, Huang Wei[6] will inevitably move to reinforce Xuzhou. Our various columns of the Central Plains and the 3rd and Guang columns of the East China Field Army must prepare to independently undertake the task of striking Huang Wei.

The Military Commission

23:00, November 13

[1] This is a telegram drafted by Mao Zedong for the Military Commission of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, addressed to Liu Bocheng, commander of the Central Plains Field Army; Chen Yi, first deputy commander; Deng Xiaoping, political commissar; and Su Yu, acting commander and acting political commissar of the East China Field Army; Chen Shiju, chief of staff; and Zhang Zhen, deputy chief of staff.

[2] Qiu Qingquan was then commander of the 2nd Army Group of the Kuomintang army.

[3] Huang Baitao was then commander of the 7th Army Group of the Kuomintang army.

[4] Daxujia is a town located in the eastern part of Tongshan County, Jiangsu Province. Caobaji, now called Bayiji, is a town located in the western part of Pi County, Jiangsu Province.

[5] Sun Yuanliang was then commander of the 16th Army Group of the Kuomintang army.

[6] Huang Wei was then commander of the 12th Army Group of the Kuomintang army.